In the days before Eid al-Adha, Srinagar’s Eidgah fills with sacrificial animals and their keepers, turning the open grounds into a landscape of trade, devotion, and anticipation.  Aasif Bashir reports.

Sacrificial animals wait in the grounds of Eidgah ahead of Eid al-Adha in Srinagar, Kashmir. Across the valley, sheep, goats and cattle brought to markets in the days before the festival become part of one of Islam’s most significant ritual: Qurbani, or sacrifice.

Observed by Muslims worldwide, Eid al-Adha commemorates the Quranic account of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)’s willingness to sacrifice his son Propheet Ismail (AS) in obedience to Allah’s command, an act ultimately met with divine mercy when a ram was provided in his place. The ritual sacrifice performed during the festival is understood not simply as slaughter, but as an act of devotion, gratitude, and submission to Allah.

The meat is traditionally divided into portions shared among family, relatives, and those in need, placing charity at the centre of the observance. 

In Kashmir, the annual gathering of sacrificial animals at Eidgah transforms the open grounds into a space of trade, anticipation, and faith, where commerce meets ritual and centuries-old religious tradition becomes visible in everyday life.

Women artisans in Samba are weaving livelihood, dignity, and hope from bamboo. Syed Rashid Bukhari reports.

In the villages of Samba district in Jammu region, the sound of slicing bamboo and the rhythm of weaving hands have become symbols of quiet resilience. 

Women artisans, many from rural households, are crafting baskets, trays, lamps, utility items, and decorative pieces from bamboo, transforming an age-old craft into a source of livelihood and self-reliance.

Supported by the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Jammu, these women are receiving training, artisan registration, market exposure and access to government schemes aimed at reviving traditional crafts and strengthening rural incomes. 

Officials have also explored setting up Common Facility Centres and expanding bamboo craft clusters in areas like Sumb and Simblana to boost production and provide artisans with better opportunities.

The department has been organising expos, workshops and training programmes across Samba district to connect artisans directly with buyers and encourage women to take up handicrafts as sustainable employment. 

Authorities say the focus remains on skill development, design innovation and creating stronger market linkages for local products.

For many women, bamboo craft is more than a profession. 

Inside modest homes and village courtyards, strips of bamboo are patiently shaped into objects that carry both utility and tradition. 

The craft allows women to earn while staying close to their families, helping supplement household incomes in rural areas where employment opportunities are limited.

The larger handicrafts and handloom sector continues to play a major role in Jammu and Kashmir’s rural economy, generating employment and preserving traditional skills passed down through generations. 

Government initiatives now aim to ensure that women artisans are not only preserving heritage but also finding economic independence through it.

Today, in Samba’s bamboo clusters, every woven strand tells a story of heritage surviving modernity, of women shaping new futures with their hands, and of a traditional craft finding renewed life in contemporary Jammu and Kashmir.

About the Author 

Syed Rashid Bukhari is a photographer and drone operator with a keen eye for detail and a deep-rooted passion for filmmaking and visual storytelling. With years of experience behind the lens, he approaches each frame as a narrative, seeking not just to document, but to evoke.